Abstract
Music performance has been described as a complex sensorimotor activity that involves acquiring cognitive, motor, and affective skills. Previous theoretical work argues that this acquisition process is a gradual process of embodiment, during which the instrument becomes integrated into the musician’s body and becomes experienced as a natural extension of the self. Building on this framework, we argue that the embodiment process becomes observable in a set of what we call embodiment indicators. These are biomechanical and psychophysiological patterns that reflect how the instrument impacts the body through the learning process.
Despite extensive research on the neural and physiological basis of music performance, little attention has been given to how these indicators evolve with skill acquisition. To our knowledge. To begin addressing this gap, Laura has been conducting a systematic review on studies that use psychophysiological and biomechanical methods to investigate music skill acquisition, with the aim of identifying embodiment markers that manifest at different levels of expertise. By focusing on measurable indicators, her work aims to identify concrete markers that capture the development of embodied expertise in music skill acquisition and performance.
Bio
Laura Serra Marín is a Spanish pianist and music researcher from Mallorca. She studied piano performance in Madrid and London under the mentorship of Iván Cítera, Galina Eguiazarova, Graham Jackson, Norma Fisher, and Gordon Fergus Thompson. Currently, she is the lead singer and keyboardist of the Catalan band Alanaire, and the pianist of Músiques d’Elles, a chamber music project dedicated to performing works by women composers.
Alongside her performance career, Laura has developed an academic profile. She is actively involved in music research, particularly in the intersection of music performance, psychology, and education. Her academic work includes publications, such as “The impact of the use of technology on student engagement and motivation in the music classroom”, published in the Journal of Music, Technology & Education, which investigates how interactive tools can transform music learning environments and strengthen student engagement and motivation.
Laura is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Luxembourg’s Faculty of Education and Social Sciences, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Nijs. Her research bridges the worlds of music performance, psychophysiology and movement sciences, contributing to the growing field of embodied music cognition. She investigates how embodiment, through psychophysiological and biomechanical markers, develops alongside music learning and skill acquisition.